Friday, April 29, 2011

Two years after their debut album, Adamantra are again label-less and shopping for a new deal with this three-track promo CD. They might not remain unsigned for too long, as the three songs here are quality stuff for the progressively inclined. Superb musicianship, colourful arrangements and good vocals can be found here, wrapped up in excellent production.

All three tracks sound different to each other, with "Three" being the heaviest of them, reminding me a bit of vintage thrash metal of the eighties, Anthrax or something like that. You know, furious, complicated rhythms and clean vocals on top... the chorus is more melodic though. "In The Shadow Of The Cross" is my favourite by far, with plenty of keyboards and hooks. The last track "Oracle" sees vocalist Tuomas Nieminen using a rougher, more sinister vocal style during the verses, yet returning to his natural melodic style during the chorus.

All three songs can be listened on the band's MySpace page (link below). I'd imagine that our readers are most likely to get a kick out "In The Shadow Of The Cross", but those with a craving for something a bit more "hardcore prog" will dig the other two tunes too.

Thursday, April 28, 2011

What the heck??? While I was listening to the opening couple of minutes off track one, "Mudfoot Barker", I honestly thought to myself, when did Beck record a hard rock album??? Seriously, an awful hoopla and racket going on there which merely can be described as something as the "I'm a loser" dude gone metal. The weirdest part of all... I immeditely kind of liked it and that's probably what scared (.scare) and scared (.scar) me the most. I guess you're not supposed to enjoy this kind of trippy-grungy seventies (stoner) rock if you're brought up with late eighties housegods such as Def Leppard and Whitesnake??? Oh feck off, it's only rock and roll and I can't help if you're a narrow-minded git and I like many different sorts of music?

These guys have more "soul" and personality than most of the "plastic" sounding albums coming out of the Frontiers factory as of lately. And more importantly, merely the opening track will have you seriously thinking about the loser dude (well, actually, track seven: "Hey John Wayne" - hello Beck!). It's otherwise ruff (simply b'cuz it's more fun to write words such as "ruff" and "tuff" than rough and tough) and rugged hard rocking music from Minneapolis/USA and their music has been licensed to several television networks and series including: Criminal Minds, The Real World, Keeping Up With The Kardashians, etc, etc.

So what? It's hardly their fault that utter crap tv-shows likes to keep on tap (instead of taps for something) when it comes to their music and they'd be stoopid to refuse. "Ma They Broke Me" is such a vivid record and you certainly need to spin this several times to get the hang of it. It's just a great mish-mash of rootsy, earthly blues rock (simply check out the mellow acoustic guitar tracks "Son Of Hammerswinger" and "Don't Tell Them What You've Seen"), grungy vibes 'ala early Soundgarden and Foo Fighters and also very commerical and catchy tunes such as "Hammerswinger" and the smashing title track. Unfortunately, this would also qualify as "hillbilly" and strickly redneck territorial metal music??? Nah, let's hope not as "Ma They Broke Me" kicks like mule to the head... Recommended.

Reading the press-release and words such as "New Age, Progressive, Alternative", should instantly have me running for the hills. Instead I find myself listening to "Ode To Brother Horn" on several occassions, despertely trying to figure out what the hell it's all about??? Now, I actually like/love bands such as Pink Floyd, Marillion, etc, etc. and can't stand the early albums with Yes, Journey, and anything that's just too "hippie" and yes, new agey. Seriously, I wish they could all just feck off and die somewhere as Woodstock is certainly the root of ALL evil (ehem, music-wise). I'am totally with Cartman on this matter and dear hippies of the web, please don't send me your hate/love mails about flower-power and "the summer of love" b.s. Especially since we all know it's a lie and the correct title of your movement should read: "the summer of acid" as you were all high as kites, face-down, naked in the mud [ehem, coffee, I need lots of coffee, please dont take these words too seriously though, it's all tongue and cheek, kinda, lol :)].

Eloah is the musical project of Austrian (far-out, dude, Austrian hippies!) artist/musician: Elmar C. Fuchs and his new-age project started out back in 1993. Appearantly in the same category and territory as Stumo Yamashita (huh?) and Jade Warrior (what?), Elmar is the new age master of new-agey things? The album scored a massive 14 out of 16 (huh? 16?) points by Nick Tate @ Progressive Magazine (he did smoke an awful lot of s**t before typing though - seriously - just kidding - again!). However, you need to search/google/whatever for the Tate-type review as this fellow won't hand out any high points nor praise today (Pink Floyd is kinda 'hippie' though, no???). Good musician, not so good music, it's obviously a matter of taste and if you're a 'hippie' or not.

What to expect from a band with a monicker such as Pigskin? Bang on correct(ly) - Mister Sister!!! Lots of sweet melodies and fluffy harmonies in the vein of REO Speedwagon!!! Nah, it's merely the latest in a long line of Death Core acts with not enough of original arrangements as well as the recognition they deserve? Huh? what? well, on the one hand, the band is very technical and certainly masters of their instruments. On the other hand, it's so 'been there, done that' by each and every hardcore, cross-over metal band of the past 15 years. It's a very intense affair and there's lots of uncompromising riffing and extremely tight drumwork by a rather impressive fellow simply known as "Reto".

The "vocals" are strickly down to "growls" and gaga and it's merely a pity as the songs are not too shabby at all (especially the more "thrash" structure of "Return To The Chapel" and "Slave Of Darkness"). Sadly due to monotone vocals from way below the surface, the opening instrumental, "Frisco Joe", definitely the best track off the album. The five lads from Switzerland (Schweiz, Swiss) are well known in their homeland for power-laden live performances on a lot of festivals and as support for acts like Testament, Lamb Of God, Napalm Death, Soulfly, etc. So if you have the possibility to watch the band live on stage, don't...

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

First a quick reality check - yep, we're at the calendar year of twenty eleven just prior to the end of the world (December 21st, 2012 is the end of the world according to an ancient Mayan calendar). Merely checking since I got caught up listening to the music of Hion Martell and started having these really strange and utterly weird flashbacks from the seventies rock and glam-scene. This being especially weird since I didn't experience those days??? But I did watch a rather crappy U.K. (BBC?) series about a copper and his 'back to the future' coma journey of the seventies.

The Swedish band Hion Martell (pronounced High on Martell and it's obviously about the cognac) started out back in 1992 influenced by artists and bands like J.J. Cale, The Stones and Lynyrd Skynyrd. "Will Cure Any Disease" is their latest effort and offering to the rock n roll gods. Vocalist/guitarist, Christer Nilsson has sometimes a similar approach to things (vocally) as to the style of Ulf Christiansson's early days with the band, Jerusalem. Simply check out the track, "Built As A Boxer", since it could easily have been a late seventies Jerusalem tune (minus the christian message of course). What might be more notable at times is the comparison that Nilsson's singing has for those aware of yet another couple of Swedish acts, the rock group Atomic Swing and punk/rock band Docenterna.

The styles may sound a bit odd put side by side, but it actually works nicely in the band's favor. Sort of innocent and close to juvenile rock. "Long Distance Love" is a nice ballad in the vein of the Rolling Stones (and Atomic Swing to be honest) and the uptempo track, "Don't Mess", strolls down the same old path of rock n roll. "(Don't Cry) Mary Anne" is yet another Jerusalem (scary alike at times) sounding tune with hammond and marvelous (female) backup vocals in the background. "Any Disease", yep, more of the you-know-what similarities, while "Brand New Day" is like a mixture of Lou Reed and Docenterna (!?). Nice production and not a shabby effort at all really.

Here's a lame quote by yours truly regarding Dust And Bones' independent 'Voodoo' release, - "Yes, it could be Jackyl, it could be Kix, it could be Broken Teeth, well, frankly it could be any of the 100,000's of similar bands and CD's throughout the years of hard rock and heavy metal. It's not a poor record, there's no crappy musician to be found here, it's just not very original", end quote. Blimey, straight to the point.

So what to expect this time around when they're signed to Perris Records in the states? (also responsible for the Kix and Broken Teeth releases as of lately, etc, etc). Well, I'm pleased to inform you that they've managed to step up to the plate and hit, not a homerun, but at least score some points (look, I'am not going to pretend to know the rules of Baseball since I'm strickly European and also a mad football fan - what the U.S. folks are refering to as Soccer, sucker?). The band still remain firmly within a sleazy formula and sound, most obviously in tracks such as "Alice's Wonderland", "Better Off Without Me", "Bleed Rock N Roll", Tounge and Cheek", but also have a classic rock vibe to themselves as well as a definite influence from Aerosmith and old R&B music, but this is perhaps most notable within the harmonica and rhythm guitar parts and arrangements.

"Love Songs" reminded me a lot of Tesla and just a hint of the sound of David Lee Roth's "Just Like Paradise" era. They're all about high energy and attitude and they'll throw a few odd curve balls (that would be baseball again, no?) your way every once in a while. It's nontheless pretty primitive sleaze and yes, it could very much still be: Kix, Broken Teeth (tooth?) or the latest attempt by Every Mother's Nightmare. It's the sort of music that probably works the best live on stage after you've had a couple of beers and to quote the band, "Rock and Roll will never die. We are a fun band and want everyone to have a good time when they listen to us and see us live". Decent sleaze, but hardly up there among the essential ones.

Although Charge Of The Light Brigade quite simply blend everything from straight rock, to punk, pop and progressive rock on their first full-length, doens't mean that "The Defiant Ones" is short on blistering moments and a distinct formula. Originally the guitarist for Toronto electroc-rock act Mountain Mama, Luke Sneyd's quirky style of songwriting inspired him to put together a new band with a purpose to entertain people no matter what the cost. Ehem, yeah, the gang of four (the others are Jason Eagan, Zack Mykula, Owen Tennyson) have been together as a band for a couple of years and had merely released the EP "We Haven't Been Properly Introduced" in 2010 prior to their rather ecletic debut album.

"Temptation Lies" goes through a couple of cliche' like moments in the style of 'The Killers' (the band) before setting sails and drifting away to the land of plenty and obscure. "The Real Heart" is anything but ordinary, instead grooving away like a more direct version of The Pixies. "Desdemona" speak of eighties indie rock and "Charge!!!" is like a modern day version of music in the vein of The Clash. Sneyd's work and voice has been described as and I quote, "a voice that hasn't been heard since Joe Strummer was laid to rest". Not quite sure if I agree, but he's capable of many things and certainly aware of his strenght and weakness (vocally).

This is no ordinary album, nor is it too weird in my humble opinion, it's merely the result from hours spent listening to those who did things against the grain. They challenge your mind at every opportunity, forcing you to sit up and take notice and most importantly, take a stand. Indeed, it's music to love or hate since you'll either find this too "weird" and "indie" while others may feel right at home. This is frankly just a 'nice' example of the quality independent rock out there. I still believe they can improve though as I miss a couple of real "party stompers" and sing-a-long tunes. Not bad though.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Can you recall the Circle Of Soul? Ehh, nevermind, I believe it's a question too obscure and not really in touch with the metal scene of today? Okay, simply scratch the latter and let's have a go at U.S of A's Four Trips Ahead and their latest EP, "The Memories". Produced by vocalist Peter Wilson and mixed by long-time Grammy award winning engineer and new drummer Nick Cipriano, "The Memories" is a true independent hard rock release. More specifically, it is a focused and daring statement of progressive musical intent. Well, the latter according to the press-release of course and not my words.

The band first came together in search of new creative outlet and creating heavy, progressive sounds with strong melodies and dynamics. Now don't go thinking "progressive rock" though as nuthin' could be further from the truth. They're merely "progressive" in theory and not as much when it comes to music style. It's a very modern take at "soul" and "funk" metal and acts such as Kings's X (simply check out "Remembering Who I Am"), Faith No More, just a tiny hint of Red Hot Chili Peppers (especially during the ballad, "Memento"), are clearly some of their influences. Add to this aggressive tendencies in the style of Pearl Jam and Soundgarden and you're sort of close to the core of the band. What? Yeah, they play some kind of nice cross-over metal and it's not quite as easy to describe in words.

The problem with Four Trips Ahead is perhaps that they don't offend, shock, stand-out like a shaved Britney 'Wacko' Spears. It's strickly just four musicians doing their thang. I do like the vocalist as he's got enough "soul" to get the train off the station and the band's certainly capable of producing the goods. They've been playing the tri-state and New York scene for quite a while with performaces at Crash Mansion, The Delancey, Arlene's Grocery, The trash Bar, the much missed CBGB's, etc. I believe they need to find that special "hit song" though. Nice though... darn nice.

Smell My Pillow??? Eat My Shorts!!! Truly horrid monicker... but I suppose it's mean to be fun and entertaining? Marc "KWall" Kowalksi is the founder, songwriter, and guitarist of the band and his musical influences include many one hit wonders from the seventies, new wave of the early eighties, namely The Cars, Gary Numan, Devo, Trio, and the grunge of the nineties, namely Soundgarden and Nirvana. Put them all in a blender, shake it all about, wait for the pop explosion and end up amazed by the result? No quite, but it's a nifty little album and the "explosive" material works the best when above lyricist strange hitting wordplay meets its match with tracks built around a quirky template of biting guitarwork and weird sounding choruses (Debbie, Off Switch, My Girl, Urban Decay Package).

I could also pick up influences and the sound of acts such as XTC, Weezer, Pixies. It's very "independent" and against the whole urban enslavment somehow. It's not meant to be "easy-listening" elevator music, rather than head-scratching stuff which makes you stop and think... 'these guys are not quite right'. It's not every man/woman's poison and hardly metal for that matter. But if you're not averse to the strange, try out soundclips at the links below. Unfortunately, they are caught somewhere between 'not bad and 'meh'.

Harsh, Tubefreeks have perversely put together a collection of the kind of grunge cliches' you thought had gone out with the mid-nineties. Nice, these guys have just released a brand new CD titled "Complex Disorders" with twelve retro nineties songs in the tradition of Alice In Chains and Stone Temple Pilots. It's merely their dumb luck that I'am more of a fan of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam as I always though of STP as highly overrated music. Seriously, you go ahead right now and name any songs off their albums!!! Ehhh, nope. Alice In Chains? A one-hit-album kind of band in my books... but what a superb effort they came up with in the year of 1992 ("Dirt"). Definitely one of my fave albums of 92'. But it's not like they released a bunch of great albums (rater the opposite as all their follow-ups were crap).

Tubefreeks is a trio from Baltimore, MD, U.S. of A, consisting of Paul van Valkenburgh (vocals/bass), Shawn Vickers (guitars), and Geoff Burrell (drums). The band's fueled with psychotics riffs and solos of Vickers and "typical" Grunge-like vocals by Valkenburgh (he's been spending way too much time listening and copying all the phrases of AIC's Layne and STP). The result of these influences and style is a high-energy compilation of gloomy nineties rock and personal observations, mainly about, "Dumb Games", "Warm December" and one "Tripped Out Man". It's supposed to be "alternative" metal music, but how alternative can you be if your top-of-the-charts and MTV commercial??? Rambling occasionally, Tubefreeks has cut an album that does awake fond memories of long-gone days. It's just not that very original or too interesting in the long run (mainly due to the STP influences).

Friday, April 22, 2011

"I'm a Rebel, Rebel, doin' my own thing goin' against the grain. Yeah, I'm changin' up the game. I'm a Rebel, Rebel, breakin' all the rules doin' what I wanna do. You don't like it? than fuck you", end quote. Yeah, goddamnit, that's what I like the most about Gina Hadley. She's no starry-eyed, no-brain, record label puppet and she's doing her own thing when it comes down to both music and image (image-wise, it's some weird kind of mixture of Pink, Tina T and Wendy O'Williams). "Got a big ego and I talk smack. But I write my own shit so I can do that" is yet another fine example of the attitude to expect on her debut album.

"Slave 2 Love" is pure class from the opening rock anthem, "I'm A Rebel" to the closing track, "Into The Night". I can however understand if a record such as this could disappear or drown in the massive U.S. music industry. You know, especially considering that it's pure independent and borderline crazy at times. Honestly, this would sell plenty if it had been released in Sweden or any other European country (perhaps with the exception of England). Do not expect this to be all rock and uptempo though as it's very much R&B, Soul, and just a couple of crazy rock tunes. It's Pink doing an album with R.Kelly composistions and Lenny Kravitz as the guitarist??? Well, nah, that's clearly not the entire truth... and Gina's sound is more than just one third of these artists.

Check out the marvelous ballad, "Liar", sure, the melody borrows quite a lot from Michael Jackson and R.Kelly, but it's drama and energy to its fullest. I miss however a couple of more uptempo rockers such as the smashing opener (there's a lot of ballads on this CD), but it's still a record above most artists of today. The jazzy blue "Who's The Fool" and "Is She The One" are completely different from eachother yet the same classy approach to smooth music. "Oak Tree" is the old seventies blues, R&B done today, while "Just Trust Me" is yet another excellent Michael Jackson vs. R.Kelly ballad. Nope, it's not quite "rock" (far from it at times), but it's all class... what a lass. Check out the "All About The Album" interview at RockUnited.com and Gina's site for more info and music samples (links below).

"The type of Rock N Roll that will make you feel nostalgic for the seventies". Huh? How can you feel "nostalgic" towards something which you never experienced in the first place??? I'll have to file this under "geezer" rock, then??? Well, Port Orchard, Washington, U.S. rockers Stone Axe were formed in direct homage to the classic heavy rock of the seventies, and mult-instrumentalist, sometime-vocalist, princicpal songwriter and recording engineer, T.Dallas Reid, wouldn't have it any other way.

The band's supposed to encompass the tones, moods and attitude, essentially perserving the sound of a by-gone era that brought some of the best heavy rock according to the band of course, yet still fusing modern elements to make the sound relevant for the future. Ehem, well, to be honest, it merely sounds like they don't know which foot to stand upon or in other words, 'we're desperately trying to lure old geezers and youngsters to buy our (schizo) CD'. The record label and the press-release, just as fookin' desperate, since they're trying to sell this as something for fans of and I quote: Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, AC/DC, Free, Deep Purple, Bad Company, The Faces, Whitesnake. My oh my... I believe you're not supposed to laugh, but it's just sooo laughable. Sure, why not? let's namedrop every single band of the 70's and perhaps the buyers are stoopid enough to believe the write-up.

Okay, that's enough of hype and what about the music? Well, this is the debut album once again, now re-released in a deluxe editon CD package that includes a half hour of bonus live recordings, as well as more than 70 minutes of promotional videos and live footage that make up the bonus DVD. For your hard-earned money you get quite a lot of music and a few tunes knocked out by the band, not too shabby at all really. However, it's reeks of "desperation" and it's so "wrong" somehow. One minute you have a track inspired by AC/DC, the other it's something in the vein of Thin Lizzy, Bad Company, Stoner Rock, etc, etc. It's not a proper sound, it's like one of those after-ski bands doing their best to please every single person in/of the audience (probably all 18 of them). "There'd Be Days" is a smashing tune though and Dru Brinkerhoff is a great vocalist. Final verdict: Simply remove five of your different styles of music and try something close-to "original" for a change.

Pay attention fantasy RPG and Tolkien fans as you're about to enter the magical world of the Circle Of The Brads. Goblins and ogres, dragons and warriors, ehh, it's the medieval concept aimed to please fans of the acoustic side of Blind Guardian as well as Blackmore's Night. It's the idea of one man, the laidback solo album of vocalist/songwriter Mariusz Migalka and the result is quite pleasing if you're into the whole concept of "celtic" fantasy arrangements. It's all very professional done and executed and the perfect soundtrack to any "Tolkien" evening at your local pub (huh?).

Admittedly the "fantasy" sound and familiar concept will help bring the songs across the web and any nerdy RPG gathering will adore the likes of "My Magic Song", "Scarlet Moon", "Fighting The Dragons", etc. Musically, Circle Of Bards can definitely expect to be earmarked "dungeons and dragons" and I'm sure there's a lot worse things if life. At their best, they combine celtic melodies and medieval sounds with Blind Guardian (the acoustic side as this is stickly "acoustic") melodies and I like it quite a bit. Two out of eleven tracks are sung in their native Polish language though and that's a big no-no in my books. Otherwise a nice experience and surprise.

Acute Mind are not exactly the most groundbreaking and original band of the century. It's the old sound of "Riverside" all over again and perhaps just a touch of Pain Of Salvation? Yep, it's supposed to be "modern" Progressive Rock, however, a song like opener, "Grief and Pain", would surely not qualify as strickly "prog rock", no? Well, not in my world (sigh!) as this is just as much "modern rock" (what's your definition of modern rock?). Released on the semi-independent Polish Electrum Production label (yes, they're from Poland), this was obviously never going to be top of the charts. Since I'am quickly running out of ideas and phrases to describe Progressive Rock/Metal, I'll just have to conclude that this is definitely not my cup of tea when it comes to fine progressive rock. I'am "Earl Grey" and every now and then, "Lemon". Acute Mind are more towards all those weirdo fruity flavors and it's just not working out. Top notch musicians and sadly not as great songmaterial.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

In my books, Within Temptation have now three homeruns in a row. Their previous two studio albums were both excellent, and it didn't take long for me to decide that this one is a worthy successor to "The Silent Force" and "The Heart Of Everything". The music might be a little less metallic but it's still very symphonic, pompous and melodic, so I'm not complaining. What impresses me the most is Sharon den Adel's vocals - her performance is a bit grittier than on the previous albums, still angelic when needed but there's an edge to it which I find very appealing.

Out of the 11 songs on the album, there's not a weak song in sight. Even the spoken intro "Why Not Me" is something special. I must admit that the first two songs released from this album, "Where Is The Edge" and "Faster" weren't exactly what I was hoping for, but somehow they work better as a part of this album. The fact that "Faster" sounds suspiciously similar to the HIM version of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" is still a bit disturbing though.

The album's standout tracks include the second video song "Shot In The Dark", the gloriously anthemic "Iron" and the intense "A Demon's Fate", to name a few. This is really an album that doesn't really require any skipping. Highly recommended!

Monday, April 18, 2011

Former Thin Lizzy and Motörhead guitarist Brian Robertson with his first solo project featuring an all-Swedish backup band. Indeed, Leif Sundin (MSG, John Norum, Great King Rat) sings his heart out on this platter and there's also a very impressive rhythm section consisting of Europe's drummer Ian Haugland and TREAT's Nalle Påhlsson (bassguitar). Appearantly, the idea of "Diamonds and Dirt" started when ol'Robbo found demo tapes filled with material co-written by Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott (R.I.P.) as well as other previously unreleased compositions. The result is an album at the interface of hardrock with definite blues elements and gritty mainstream rock.

You'll also find a updated 2011 version of "It's Only Money" (from the 1974 Thin Lizzy recording 'Nightlife') and a slow version of "Running Back" (from 1976's 'Jailbreak'). It's yet another Chris Laney produced album and it's a crystal clear yet gritty enough to perfectly fit the compositions. There's three Frankie Miller numbers (Mail Box, Do It Til We Drop, Ain't Got No Money) and former Riverdogs frontman, Rob Lamothe sings the latter (all other songs are sung by Sundin).

I must confess not being too impressed at first (well, the opening title track was darn catchy from day one). However, "Diamonds and Dirt" is a real grower and you need to spin this over again for a week or so to get the full blast and picture. The blues-laden riffs reeks of an almost ridiculous amount of class and enthusiasm, making for one fine blues/hardrock record and honestly I can't recall the last time Robbo sounded this good in the studio. Special kudos to Liny Wood for the smashing backup vocals. Recommended! PS. Don't expect a lot of Robertson/Lynott compositions though and "10 Miles To Go On A 9 Mile Road" is a shocking poor tune if ever.

Why the three-piece suites (record company folks) are trying to sell us these fine re-releases as something in the vein of "Guns N Roses" is beyond me, since the two acts had very little in common. Don't get me wrong, I've always sort of enjoyed the 1990 Little Caesar debut, but I just don't see the connection somehow??? Oh, of course, they were both formed on the West Coast of America, but that's pretty much it really. This is basic R&B rock 'ala the seventies and even sixties (Humble Pie) and acts such as Quireboys and The Black Crowes did something similar to the Lil' C's.

IronBird (Cherry Red's sub-label) continues on the same path as their Europe, Britny Fox, etc. with re-releasing two original albums on two CDs. Linernotes and short band history by famed UK journo Malcolm Dome and the band mostly complains about Bob Rock producing the debut. "All we wanted to do was make a lo fi, 1970s style rock record and Bob convinced us that he wanted the same as us. Motley Crue's Dr.Feelgood suddenly went top of the charts and almost overnight everything changed. It went from Bob Rock making a Little Caesar record to us making a Bob Rock album. It all got so out of hand", end quote. Gee, in other words, they had the best producer at the time, lots of money from the label, John Kalodner guiding them through and yet they never managed to make it big???

Sure, they didn't have the old seventies production they wanted, but in the end... it's always down to the actual song material to make or break a band. I've always hated their Aretha Franklin cover (Chains Of Fools) since it's not really meant to be done in a "hard rock" version? The Temptations "I Wish It Could Rain" added extra texture and quality to their record though. Little Caesar's own handed material such as "Down-N-Dirty", "In Your Arms", Stand Up", etc. are nice but hardly the stuff that hits are/were made of. The ballads are actually the best ones and "From The Start" will have lighters in the air at no time.

... And the glammy soap opera continues with yet another sleazy episode of Dynazty. "Knock You Down" is a brand new chapter in the band's history as they're now signed to Stormvox/Playground and safely at work under the protecting wings of Hollywood famed actor Peter Stormare (yep, pretty much the same story as what happened to H.E.A.T.). Recorded in Los Angeles and mixed in Stockholm by Chris Laney the album speak of quality and top notch craftsmanship. Are we impressed? Yeah, so-so, it's a thick and well produced platter with strong backing vocals and Nisse Molin at the centre of attention.

Do not expect this to be clean and fluffy rock in the vein of HEAT though. Dynazty are strolling down the same path as usual with triple capitol "S" (Steelheart, Slaughter, Skid Row) as perhaps not main influences, but definitely inspiration. Molin is the old skool powerhouse vocalist and Rob Love (Magnusson) likes to pose and shred as in the good old days (huh, when?). All that glitter ain't gold though as opening "Sleeping With The Enemy" and "The Devil's Playground" sits "nicely" in with the more modern "sleaze" acts (boring tracks actually). They're definitely at their best when they keep things nice and clean (read: old skool) and tracks such as "New Sensation", "Hunger For Love", Get It On", "Knock You Down", "Wild Nights", rawks big time.

Yep, it's a step in the right direction and still not enough of cool sing-a-long anthems in my opinion. There's a mighty fine version of last years EuroVision winner (In Sweden) "This Is My Life" - done in the best Skid Row tradition. Unfortunately, they've also decided to cover Edwyn Collins "A Girl Like You" and they've absolutely killed it!!! My oh my! Seriously, "A Girl Like You", one of the coolest (plain) rock songs ever and this butchered version won't make anyone happy. Hmmm, makes ya' wonder who came up with the "great" idea to record this in the first place? Do I smell A&R??? Don't mess with perfection as you'll never win. Final verdict: Darn solid sleaze... but we sort of expected more to be honest. Joan Collins and Heather Locklear to the rescue???

The hell's freezing over... I'm actually giving a "9" to an album that features growling! Yep, Amaranthe have a Cookie Monster in the band, which usually would be a reason to chuck this album into the trash bin for me. Thankfully the band has two other vocalists as well, Jake E. Berg singing clean male vocals and the extraordinary female vocalist Elize Ryd, who make the album accessible to even a die-hard growl hater.

Of course it's the songs that count, and let me tell you this: Amaranthe have come up with twisted plot to combine extreme metal sounds with insanely catchy pop hooks. They'll probably have some True Metal warriors reaching for the vomit bags, but I have a feeling that they'll conquer the rest. We are talking about major crossover potential!

Listening to the songs it feels like the band has calculated how much a common rock/pop fan can tolerate growling, and just as the limit is being reached, they'll throw in one of the other singers and a killer melody. I don't know about you but it works for me. I guess I could've done without the growling altogether, but in small doses it does add a certain edge to these songs.

The first single/video "The Hunger" you might be familiar with already, but it's not the only irrestiably catchy song on the album, most of the others are dripping with immense melodies and hooks too. "1.000.000 Lightyears" has a chorus that's pure pop sugar (and I mean that in a good way), as does the dance/metal hybrid "Automatic". However, the one song that might be their crossover hit is "Amaranthine", a balladic track that could very well end up on the playlists of all kinds of radio stations - not only metal or rock but also adult contemporary, top 40 etc. It's a beautiful song with a fine melody and both vocalists sound excellent. Even the Cookie Monster doesn't sound as bad as usual.

I could go on and name every song on the album, as they all have some dangerously sharp hooks. Admittedly there are a couple of tracks where there could be maybe a little less growling, but even those tracks have good choruses. Let's just see if my prediction comes true, and this band becomes the hottest new metal band of the year. For my money, they are already just that.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

When I first heard Neil's music more than 15 years ago, I immediately got interested; it was the kind of melodic instrumental guitar music that my "gods" had done so exceptionally well. So I started following Neil's career, kept buying his albums and it was always the same melodic, memorable, both fiery and moody playing that never failed to satisfy. Years have gone and when people kept asking about my favorite players I started mentioning him along with Satriani and Vai. Basically that means he made an unlikely metamorphosis from a human to a god. How come? Honestly, I don't know. He did nothing special along the way, he didn't reinvent or revolutionize the way guitar is being played, didn't invent new techniques, new effects, not even new sounds, he has never been the fastest (or the slowest) hand. Neil Zaza simply kept writing great songs that consequently made great albums. Consistently, with continuous passion and obvious joy that shines from his albums. Regardless if you listen to "The Joof" which is (OMG!) almost 2 decades old now or "Go!" from the new record, the attitude and the passion is obvious there. That's how you rise to the gods. Simple, ain't it? :)

The new album starts out with an intro "Magnus 212" which is an integral part of the first "real" track, the above-mentioned "Go!", the typical Zaza stomper with catchy hooks and cool licks. If you don't like this song, you won't like any of his albums. "King of the World" follows in the same vein, its main melodies stick in your ear and won't get out for a couple of days. "Is This Wonderland?" is the typical moody Zaza ballad with a 2011 sound. My personal favorite was the ultramelodic "If this is Goodbye" yet many will love the cover versions: "Message in the Bottle" by Police and "Take on Me" by A-ha. Honestly I enjoyed Neil's take on Price's "Purple Rain" a lot more than any of these and the A-ha track does nothing for me musically except for its slowly climaxing crescendo part towards the 2/3 of the song yet it will most definitely be a concert favorite due to its uptempo jumping nature and its widely known main melody.

Now that Neil Zaza is in the same league as Joe Satriani, it's safe to say that the 15 bucks investment you need to make to get these 45 minutes of high-profile instrumental guitar playing is a safe one, you will keep playing the album for the next 30-50 years.

I usually get scared when a guitarist with an Italian name describes his music as "fusion" cuz usually that means some indigestible chaotic mess. However Alessandro Cossu delivered an independent effort that is absolutely enjoyable, neither overplayed nor overthought (if there's any word like that, I guess you know what I mean). It might have something to do with his GIT training or with his classic rock guitar influences, who knows why, somehow Alessandro managed to walk the fine line between instrumental rock guitar playing and jazz/fusion. The result is an interesting album that leaves a lot to discover and still does not make your ears bleed or your eyes tick.

Obviously there are countless tempo and mood changes but there are a couple of memorable melodies and a relatively tolerable amount of notes per second (not always the case with guitarists who want to melt rock with fusion). My personal favorites included the title track which clearly displays what you can expect from the album and "A letter that hasn't been written" (cool title) which is a slow and moody track with some beautiful melodies, the longest track of the album yet it does not get boring.

Don't expect straighforward rock in the Satriani manner, yet it's not necessarily a skipper if you are a bit shy when it comes to "too complex for me" kind of albums, it's worth a try, you might end up liking it. Check his website:

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

The fourth album by the ridiculously named Poodles has seen the light of day, and it continues on the same path as the band's previous albums. There are some slightly heavier moments than before, but the band's trademark anthemic choruses haven't been forgotten. The song material cannot match that of their last album "Clash Of The Titans", but I can't really call the album a disappointment either. Vocalist Jakob's high-pitched and somehow "tense" vocals are still something of an aquired taste, but I've grown to like them more over the years. The backing vocals are of the highest order, and the rest of the band are more than capable, so there's not much to complain about when it comes to the performances.

"Clash Of The Titans" is my favourite Poodle album so far, and it contained more than a few real killer tracks. On "Performocracy" the band manage to hit the bullseye a couple of times, but then again, there are several tracks that miss the mark. The best track of the album for me is the first single "Cuts Like A Knife", with "Father To A Son" and "Vampire's Call" following close behind. On the other hand, The heavy "I Believe In You" fails to impress, and the Coldplay-like "eerie" athmosphere of "Love Is All" leaves me totally cold. Just like "Clash Of The Titans", the album suffers a little of the fact that there are maybe 2 or 3 songs too many on it... there's a great, compact 10-song album worthy of a better rating in here, but I'll have to settle for an "8" as it is.

Brief history of King Kobra: formed by drummer Carmine Appice, first album "Ready To Strike" released in 1985, moderate success and a video "The Hunger" that got some airplay at MTV. The band's image with one dark-haired guy and four peroxide blondes was quite striking, and I might add that the album was very good. Second album "Thrill Of A Lifetime" (1986) is hailed as an "AOR classic" by some but I don't rate it that highly, it's obvious that the record label forced the band to go to a poppier direction. The band did get the biggest hit of their career, "Iron Eagle (Never Say Die)", which was written for the "Iron Eagle" movie. Not by the band though. Two years later, the band released "III" on an independent label (the previous two were released on Capitol), and the line-up had changed: Johnny Edwards had replaced original singer Mark Free, and guitarist Mick Sweda and bassist Johnny Rod had been replaced by Jeff Northrup and Larry Hart. The only remaining original members were Appice and guitarist David Michael-Phillips. "III" marked a return to a heavier style, with the band covering the Gene Simmons/Paul Stanley-penned "It's My Life" amongst others. That was about it, except for a low-key compilation "The Lost Years" in 1999 and an ill-fated comeback album "Hollywood Trash" (2001) with Kelly Keeling on vocals. Now the original band that recorded the first two albums is back together, except for Mark Free. The vocalist slot has been given to Paul Shortino (Rough Cutt, Quiet Riot). Mark Free's superb vocals were a big part of the band's original charm, but Shortino does a good job. He definitely has his own, soulful sound, but it suits these new songs, and the band still sounds like King Kobra for the most part. The guitar duo of Sweda and Michael-Phillips creates its' melodic web almost as it did back in the day, and some of the songs bring back echoes from the eighties.

Standout tracks of the album are the hugely melodic "Live Forever", "Top Of The World" (great pre-chorus!), "You Make It Easy" and the closing ballad "Fade Away". Paul Shortino steals the show on many occasions, making some of the lesser tracks a notch better. His fine vocals can't save "Turn Up The Good Times" though, which is one of the most banal tracks I've heard lately. We get "fire-desire-higher" in the first verse and the pre-chorus contains the gem "Everybody, Party Hardy"... I'm not too fond of "We've Got a Fever" or "Screamin' For Me" either. "...Fever" might appeal to the fans of Shortino's Quiet Riot album with its' bluesy swagger, and "Screamin'..." is a bit Van Halenesque, but nothing to shout about. Or scream about. Anyway, those few dodgy tracks aside, the album is all good fun, and surely more of a natural successor to "Ready To Strike" than "Thrill Of A Lifetime" ever was.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Unlike me, you may remember After Hours from the late Eighties, as apparently they looked well on their way with their first album, but as so often happens it all fell apart whilst making their second, and after a five year run they split up in 1992. Fires were reignited in 2008, when vocalist John Francis, Guitarist Tim Payne and bassist Martin Walls met up and decided to give it another go, just to see what would come out. Well, “Against The Grain” is what came out, and you should all be glad that it did.

Hailing from the UK but not sounding like it, After Hours deliver radio friendly AOR in the vein of Valentine with a smattering of Journey, and to me they would not have been out of place on the higher end of Escape’s roster in the mid 90s, making the album feel a bit like a lost classic. Vocalist John Francis has a voice that will bring Steve Perry to mind, but is slightly grittier, and boy can he carry a note. Definitely one of our best kept secrets, there is no way that this guy should be doing anything but singing for a living.

Musically, there’s plenty to like here, such as the pure AOR of “Turn On the Radio”, or the incredibly catchy “Angel”, both of which benefit from some soaring vocals as well as deft guitar licks from Tim Payne, who never outstays his welcome but can widdle away with the best of them. There’s a few ballads thrown in, thankfully decent ones that don’t make me want to skip them, but in general this is a nice, upbeat album of songs that will help you bounce your way through the Summer. Trust me, if you like melodic rock and don’t mind it being a bit wimpy, you will absolutely adore “Against The Grain”.

Friday, April 1, 2011

For someone who never liked Nirvana too much, I have always had a surprising soft spot for Dave Grohl’s Foo Fighters, a band who have released some amazing singles but, for me, never really made a full on decent album since “The Colour And The Shape” back in 1997. Mind you, they don’t rush things, as “Wasting Light” is only their seventh album in 15 years.

Recorded in, of all places, Dave Grohl’s garage, entirely on analogue tape, with no computers to play with. The result is probably the best album by the band since the aforementioned “The Colour & The Shape”, with the band rocking their little socks off. A good mix of mid and fast paced rockers, the album flows along effortlessly, always sounding like The Foo Fighters, but somehow giving off a feeling that there’s a freshness back in the band, giving the impression of a debut by an exciting young band, not one that formed fifteen years ago.

I have to say, I love some of the heavier tracks, like lead single “Rope” and “Burning Bridges”, but even the ones that keep more in the middle like album closer “Walk” have an energy about them that is has you air drumming and screaming along with Grohl when he gets overexcited. There’s some great rhythm on display throughout, with Taylor Hawkins really banging away on the drums throughout, easily as aggressive and impassioned as Grohl himself can be.

In some ways, “Wasting Light” could very well be dismissed as another Foo Fighters album, but I feel that would be doing it a disservice. This is most definitely an album to keep fans happy, but it’s also one that should tempt back those that have fallen by the wayside over the years, because it has everything that drew you towards the band in the first place. Okay, so there’s no “My Hero” or “Everlong”, but there are plenty of tracks that you might just come to love in the same way.